Amazing Awesomeness

I'm going the lazy route today (but at least I'm posting and it's not months later...not that anyone except all of my .5 readers care...hahahaha). One of my favorite blogs happens to be from a friend from college. We weren't the same year (he's younger), we didn't have the same major, and we didn't really participate in the same clubs. Yet, we still participated together in two of the biggest shows on campus together. It's definitely through the years...and more so when he started his Dad Knows Best and Conceived and Composed blog series that I've come to regard Ben's way with words and his awesomeness with a camera.

Anyway, Ben & his brother were originally coming down to our neck of the woods to shoot a wedding (again, these guys are REALLY GOOD and they're "just starting out")...of course we can't let friends stay anywhere but our house (unless we are hit by a plague or lose air-conditioning). Then they're beautiful wives & newborn baby...and well, for us, THE MORE THE MERRIER!  K & K & "Little Monster" (who, btw, is such a sweetie) were awesome! Ben's K had a baby almost 8 weeks ago and doesn't show any signs that she even gestated anything inside her tiny frame.  But, since I follow Ben's blog, I do know that she was, for sure, pregos at some point and must have abs & skin with the elasticity of Spanx.

But, even before we offered up our place, Ben had asked if he could shoot photos of our fam...which, of course, is a no-brainer on so many levels!  Of course, this turned into a photo shoot of not just our family but The Fam.  Mom was already down here (enjoying her recent retirement) and Kim, J, & Talia came down for the weekend.

We had a great time and those of you who are my FB friends have seen some of the other previews of the Lau Brothers' ridiculous talent!

THANK YOU, BEN & BENSON!!!!!!!  Please check out Ben's blog Future DILF-in-Training.  He's a great writer and photographer!  While you're at it, you can also vote for him as a Top Baby Blog!

And now without further ado, Ben's post (jacked, stolen, yanked, reprinted with permission) of my sister, brother (for those who are confused when I leave out the in-law, he's techinically my brother-in-law but he's way more than just an in-law), and my baby...errrrr...niece:

Jason + Kim + Talia

September 12, 2010

Here’s the funny thing about this particular family. Unbeknownst to me, I attended school with both Jason and Kim, and even graduated the same year; but the fact we had never crossed paths was just downright unforgivable. Goes to show how impersonal campus life can be when you’ve got 40,000 kids wandering on University of Maryland’s sprawling campus (go Terps!). When they heard that I was going to be in around town for a wedding, I accepted their hospitality under one condition: That they allow me to photograph this wonderfully photogenic family.

Photo Credits: Ben and Benson Lau

Walk

It's a gorgeous day and both kids are in school...so, I decided to push my atrophied self out the door to enjoy the weather and go for a walk with Jax.

I came to the following conclusions:

A) Being sedentary for so long causes both shock and confusion in both my muscles and my dog. It sounded like Bozo the Clown was walking with a dirty prank caller.

B) It's a good idea to make sure that if you are bringing your largest canine with you on a walk that you need to make sure that he has emptied his bowels prior to walking...thereby avoiding the walk of shame back to your house with a giant bag of steamy poo.

C) Stop being so sedentary.

You would figure someone who was a few courses short of obtaining her bachelor's in kinesiology (before I switched to criminology & criminal justice) would be more cognizant of keeping herself moving...but nooooooooooo.  It's usually too hot or too cold or too rainy or just about to rain or the kids need me or the hubby needs me or blah blah blah...

But today, it was just right.

Now, I just have to start convincing my body not to go into shock and to stop rejecting the fresh oxygen being pumped throughout her...

Oy.

Wish me luck!

First Day of School

School started this week, officially marking the end of a crazy, fun-filled, jam-packed summer.  Jaron started kindergarten this year...leaving his mama single and sad...but excited for this new chapter in his life.  When did our "babies" grow up?

I know he's in good hands...specifically, his sister's.

I hope they'll always take care of each other.

Start of a bittersweet day where we've entrusted our kids to others
and knowing they're in great care.

Congratulations!

It's been a while and still might be a while until I blog again...just having the busiest summer to date and enjoying every minute of it.  But, I just wanted to send a huge congratulations to Daphne Kwok who was recently appointed by President Obama to be the chair of his advisory committee on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.  You can read more about it here and here.

There really couldn't be a more stellar pick than Daphne.  I had the good fortune of knowing here from my days working in DC.  It was with her (and her deputy director at the time, Emmy Akiyama) that I was in the car en route to NYC to do some exit polling when tragedy struck the city and nation on 9/11.  Daphne is just ridiculously awesome and amazing...and humble.  Her parents are pretty kick-butt too raising this awesome woman.  I was pregos with Kaia when her dad told me that having daughters first is the way to go since they'll be your biggest help and blessing, as Daphne was.  I couldn't agree more with Mr. Kwok.  I know their daughter's recent achievement is just another in a long line of achievements to be proud of.

Congratulations, Daphne!  I know Obama's in great hands with you as his chair!

Almost an entire month ago Recently, we held a joint birthday party for my son & niece.  Usually, the kids' birthday shindigs are a big deal because we hold them in DC every time as a way to be able to reconnect with so many friends & fam (or friendmily) that we don't get to see regularly due to our military life.  AND...thanks to our amazing fam, we've pulled this not-so-tiny interstate but intracoast about 10 times now.

So, I'm usually the one who creates and is responsible for a majority of the menu...and like at home, it tends to be from scratch and healthy (or at least healthier).  The cakes are no exception.  I get the uber-insane idea of baking nonstop for 48 hours before these parties to ensure some delectable treats.  The cakes (with icing), from scratch, always include two flavors...let me clarify...two different cakes.

This year was easier...one cake for my son & one for my baby, oops, I mean niece.  Jaron's was chocolate with cookies & cream buttercream...the texture & color of the buttercream actually added a nice gravelly effect to the finished product.  Big Boy vascillated between chocolate chip, chocolate, and lemon raspberry for his cake flavors.  LUCKILY, I got to choose the lemon raspberry for Talia.  This was also my first foray into the wonderful world of fondant (which I DID NOT MAKE from scratch).  I bought these cute little posies for her cake and used yellow pearl luster dust to color it a pale yellow...except I also forgot to bring a soft brush with me and used my mom's old pastry brush resulting in some streaks here and there.

However, friends should not let friends fondant (yes, I made it into a verb) without doing a test cake first.  Also, friends let friends RESEARCH how to work with and drape fondant correctly before doing so on the DAY OF THE PARTY.  I apparently am not a fondant rockstar like my friend Melissa.

Otherwise, you'll have to take your first try and let your shame face the wall.

Have a fabulous weekend!